I wouldn't jump to conclusions about it being a rootkit. Akamai is also a server for updating some security software. For example, if you have AVG (Or Ewido) Anti-Spyware, if you look at TCPView while it is updating, you'll find it is connecting to the Akamai server. It could be that you had some security software performing automatic updates when all those connections are made. Granted, it could also be some kind of malware, but I doubt it. If you look further at the Wiki article, you'll notice they also update Synmantec Security Software, and complete list of their customers can be found at their website, one of whom is Microsoft itself, and even the White House. Please don't make blanket statements saying something automatically is a rootkit and causing people unnecessary alarm unless you've thoroughly investigated the situation! Also, if you haven't disabled the automatic update features in IE (Not Windows Update, but the mechanism for IE updating itself), it will often use the Akami site to retrieve its own security updates, etc. Akamai is a legitimate business entity that provides services to big-name security companies. Does it make sense for them to jeopardize their business partnerships to install rootkits? I think the answer is fairly obvious.

I have following security stuff like this on my system: Nod32, Gdata, SpyCatcher Express, Sygate Frw, but all of them are actually not in Autostart mode only for manual scanning. I mostly notice these massive connections when I go to yahoo webside. Longer time ago, GData found once a script virus from my html cached yahoo mailbox, very strange thing.

I don´t trust too much this akamai thing, maybe they store lots of webside temporary, probably it´s a usual thing but why to hell they temporarily opened more then 20 iexplore connections to port 80. The strange thing is also that they use ports one after another 1,2,3,4...

I don´t use automatic Microsoft Update.

Here is the screens with 25 open Akamai connections, too much in my opinion: